Means for the production of filter tip cigarettes



April 2 1 H. POLICANSKY MEANS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER TIP CIGARETTEIS Filed Aug. 30, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 24, 1956 H. POLICANSKY MEANS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER TIP CIGARETTES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 50, 1949 INVENTOR. HYMAN POLICANSKY ATTORNEY April 24, 1956 H. POLICANSKY MEANS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER TIP CIGARETTE-S 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 30, 1949 INVENTOR. I HYMAN POLI CANSKY ATTORNEY April 24, 1956 H. POLICANSKY 2,742,906

MEANS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER TIP CIGARETTES Filed Aug. 30, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.6

{2 Q 29 ,2za-% m 26' 25mg 7 A t j w INVENTOR HYMAN POLICANSKY BY ATTORNEY United States Patent MEANS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILTER TIP CIGARETTES Application August 30, 1949, Serial No. 113,165

Claims. (Cl. 131'-61) This invention relates to means for the production of filter tip cigarettes and is concerned with improvements in or relating to apparatus for the high speed production of filter tip cigarettes on a cigarette making machine of the type known as a continuous rod machine, wherein beforebeing wrapped and cut into individual cigarettes a continuous unwrapped tobacco rod or rope, hereinafter referred to as tobacco rope, is transformed into a continuous composite rod comprising alternate abutting lengths of filter plugs, mouthpieces or other like objects, and severed length of tobacco rod or rope hereinafter referred to as tobacco lengths.

For the purpose of this specification the words filter plugs shall be taken to mean filter plugs, mouthpieces or the like.

The present invention is an improvement in or modification of the apparatus for transforming acontinuous tobacco rope moving along a rectilinear path of travel into a continuous rod of alternate tobacco lengths and plugs disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,604,099, granted July 22, i952, to Hyman Policansky, formerly Serial No. 696,206, filed September 11, 1946.

The aforesaid specification, discloses means whereby tobacco lengths which have been severed and separated by any convenient means, together with interposed filter plugs are fed in alternate succession to a' rotating Wheel, hereinafter referred to as a transfer wheel, provided with retractable conveyor pins or equivalent means and operating in conjunction with an arcuate chute, whence they are delivered to a moving web of paper or, endless band moving at a speed less than the peripheral speed of the transfer wheel, the combination being such that the tobacco lengths and filter plugs are caused to travel through an arcuate path and to'a-but against each other longitudinally in their direction of motion by relative arcuat'e movement, positive abutment being completed either in the arcuate path or at a point not further from the point of delivery on tothe paper web or endless band than the combined length or a 'filter'plug and a tobacco length. H

Severance and separation of the tobacco lengthsis preferably effected according to the aforesaid patent by feeding a tobacco rope to a rotating wheel, hereinafter referred to as a section wheel, provided with a smooth peripheral groove, a circurnferential guard and a 'c'utting knife or cutting knives movable with the wheel and about the axis of rotation thereof, the said wheel rotating with even peripheral speed greater than that of the forward moving tobacco rope fed thereto, so that the tobacco rope is caused to move through an arcuate path of travel and is severed at the commencement of 'or during "movement through the said arcuate path, :and the tobacco length thus formed ispositiVeIy moved away from the tobacco rope 'at a speed greater than the=ispeed of travel of the said "tobacco rope in and along' the curvilinear axial direction of the arcuate path to create a gap. Filter plugs are then =-introduced into each gap 5 formed .1; J

2,742,906 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 The retractable conveyor pins of the transfer wheel engage the filter plugs at a suitable position on the periphery of the transfer wheel and convey the plugs into engagement with the end of the length of tobacco rope already guided and fed into the arcuate chute.

By virtue of the greater peripheral speed of the transfer wheel than the speed of the moving paper web (or endless band) on to which the lengths of tobacco rope and filter plugs are deposited and by which the said plugs and tobacco rope are carried away, it will be understood that the leading end of a length of tobacco-rope will be brought into longitudinal abutment with the end of the filter plug which is pursued. At approximately the position where the retractable conveyor pins cause abutment to occur between a filter plug and a length of tobacco rope and the next preceding filter plug, the length of tobacco rope and conveyor pins are retracted.

The present invention is concerned more specifically with the function and construction of the-transfer wheel, the object of the invention being to increase the production eiliciency of the apparatus.

To prevent interference by the knives of the severing means, which both sever and push the tobacco section, timing of the transfer wheel conveyor pins in relation to the knives must be so determined that the said pins cause the plug to engage the rear end of the tobacco section as the severing means withdraws. This of necessity entailed a small gap being allowed between each aforesaid knife and each filter plug conveyed by the aforesaid conveyor pins and such gap was found to be conducive to imperfect abutment between a tobacco length and an oncoming filter plug. If no pin were employed to engage the rear end of the filler length 34a, then the tobacco, as it travels around with the transfer wheel would then tend to hesitate which would close any gap between the trailing end of the filler length and the leading end of the filter plug. This in turn resulted in the gap reappearing between the leading'end of the filler length and the trailing end of the preceding plug.

With a view to overcoming this difiiculty, supplementary or auxiliary conveyor means were provided operable to hold the tobacco segments against movement relative to the transfer wheel andmainta-in secure abutment between the end of said segments and the filter plug immediately preceding said segments. Such means form the subject of a patent application Serial No. 15,214, filed by Hyman Policansky on March 16, 1948. I The auxiliary conveyor means of the aforesaid specification conveniently comprised supplementary pins mounted in the transfer wheel and disposedin arcuate spaced relation between the normal retractable pins. The supplementary pins are operated mechanically to engage with the tobacco segments at the ends thereof and to be disengaged therefrom similarly to the retractable pins, the sequence of operation being such as to achieve the object of the invention.

In pursuance of theobject of this invention advantage afforded by the provision of the auxiliary conveyors is taken to make use of the natural springiness of the tobacco and the consequent reaction due to the compression that takes place successively in each tobacco length "on completion of its delivery to the transfer wheel, each tobacco length being to some extent longitudinally compressed between the cutting knife of the section wheel and the conveyor pinsof the transfer wheel. The above-men'- tioned springiness varies with different types of tobacco and also with the tobacco condition, condition meaning dampness for the purpose of this description. The advantage referred to above is taken by causing the reaction of the tobacco-lengthsconsequent upon their longitudinal compression to close the gap between each tobacco length and the leading end of the oncoming filter plug. In addition to the foregoing, slight pressure between the transfer wheel and the paper web has a tendency to squeeze out the tobacco in a longitudinal direction, thus assisting the natural springiness of the tobacco in closing the gap.

From the foregoing it will be evident that according to the present invention positive abutment between each tobacco length and the filter plugs at each end of the tobacco lengths takes place within the arcuate chutc, thus enabling the transfer wheel to deposit the composite rod comprising alternate lengths of tobacco and filter plugs in positive longitudinal abutment on to the moving paper web, the transfer wheel having a peripheral speed substantially equal to the speed of the moving paper web; and abutment between each tobacco length and the filter plugs at both ends thereof is effected in the case of each pursued filter plug by feeding each tobacco length to each said plug at a speed greater than the speed of the plug and in the case of each pursuing filter plug by causing the natural springiness of tobacco which may be assisted by pressure on the tobacco length to close the gap.

It will be understood that cutting knives of the severing means are timed in relation to the transfer wheel conveyor pins to leave as small a gap as is practicable between each of said cutting knives and its co-operating filter plug being conveyed by the conveyor pins of the transfer wheel.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic elevation of the invention with parts broken away for clearance and showing the mold thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the section wheel seen in Fig. 1, showing the knife-operating mechanism of a section wheel.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 seen in the direction of the arrows AA in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig. 2 taken through the broken line B--B thereon.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing the operating mechanism for the primary and secondary retractable members of the rotatable transfer carrier.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the transfer wheel seen in Fig. 1.

In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are views of a grooved sectional wheel 4, provided with two cutting knives 1, held in clamps 2, and operating in slots 3 (Fig. 3) transversely located across the section wheel peripheral groove 5 (Fig. 2).

The knife clamps 2 are mounted on the ends of knife plungers 6 which protrude from bearings 7 into casing 8 in which are mounted rocker arms 9. The rocker arms are connected to the knife plunger 6 by means of the links 10. The knives are urged outwardly by springs 11 and are withdrawn by cup cam 12 acting through the cam follower rollers mounted on the rocker arms 9. The cup cam 12 is pinned to the shaft 13 which is fixedly clamped in a bracket stand 14. Although not shown in the drawings, the shaft may be extended and supported near the section wheel.

The cover plate 16 is screwed to the casing 8 and carries gear wheel by means of which the casing and with it the knife-operatin g mechanism and the section wheel are caused to revolve about the stationary shaft 13. An oil retaining cover plate 17 and washer are screwed to the casing and felt oil retaining washers 19a provided where shafts protrude from the casing, thus sealing the casing against the escape of oil and the entry of dust. The casing is partially filled with oil and constitutes an oil bath for lubricating the knife-operating mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 which illustrate the preferred form of apparatus and one mode of operation thereof, tobacco issuing from the hopper of a continuous rod cigarette making machine and having been compressed into rod or rope form by any suitable compression device is guided to and across a bridge 31 to enter the peripheral groove 5 of a section wheel 4. The tobacco rope 32 is restrained within the peripheral groove by means of a circumferential guard 33. The said peripheral groove is sufficiently large to accommodate the tobacco rope freely yet not large enough to allow the rope to bend or buckle. The purpose of the foregoing is to allow free entry to and free exit from the groove of the tobacco rope, as well as to allow the surfaces of the groove in contact with the tobacco rope to slide past the rope without undue friction. The section wheel 4 is arranged to revolve with a peripheral speed greater than the speed of the tobacco rope 32 and consequently slides past the portion of the continuous tobacco rope engaged in the peripheral groove. The section wheel 4 is arranged also to revolve with a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the transfer wheel 19. Cutting knives 1 operating in transverse slots 3 in the section wheel 4 cut through the tobacco rope at an approximate position P.

On the completion of each cutting stroke and for a certain arc of travel each cutting knife remains substantially in its forward position thereby forming an abutment across the peripheral groove and thus ensuring positive carrying forward of the severed tobacco length. The section wheel 4 is shown with a cutting knife 1 having severed a tobacco length 34a from the tobacco rope 32 at an approximate position P and having revolved nearly a quarter revolution from position P in the direction of the curved arrow. A gap 35 has been developed between the tobacco length 34a and the front end of the rope 32 by reason of the difference between the speed of the knife abutment 1 and the speed of tobacco rope 32. The knife 3 at approximately the position shown has longitudinally compressed the tobacco length 34a between itself and the conveyor pins 20a and the said knife 3 is only withdrawn after the auxiliary pin 21a has been extended into the tobacco length 34a.

With further reference to the drawings, Figs. 5 and 6 show 2 views of the transfer wheel seen in Fig. 1. The transfer wheel 15 is provided with 6 sets of radially retractable conveyor pins 20, 20a, 20b, 21, 21a, 21b, one set shown in retracted or inoperative position and the other sets in protruded or operative position. The pins 20, 20a, 20b, 21, 21a, 21b are machined to fit snugly in the holes in the casing in order to prevent entry of dust to the inside of the casing as Well as to prevent escape past them of lubricant from the inside of the casing, and in order to facilitate their construction with this end in view are constructed to retract and protrude with radial movement.

The pins 20, 20a, 20b are mounted in slide blocks 211 which are restrained by slide block guides 22. The pins 21, 21a, 21b are mounted in slide blocks 213 which are restrained by slide block guides 22a. The slide blocks 211 and 213 are actuated by cam follower rollers 24 and 24a engaging with the tracks 23a and 23b of a cam 23. The cam rollers 24 and 24a are maintained in contact with their respective tracks by means of springs 25. The cam 23 has an elongated boss which may be hushed to provide a hearing or a drive shaft 26 to which the transfer wheel is pinned at 27 through the transfer wheel boss 28. The cam 23 is non-rotatably clamped in a bracket stand 29 and the transfer wheel revolves about the stationary carn. A cover plate 30 completes the seal against the escape of lubricant and the entry of dust.

The pin 21a prevents the tobacco length 34a from hesitating in its motion through the chute 37 and maintains firm abutment between the end of the tobacco length and the conveyor pins 20a which conveyor pins in turn are in close abutment with a filter plug, as illustrated.

The knife 3 is only withdrawn afterithe pin 21a effects maintenance of abutment in the manner described. There will be a slight gap between the rear end of the tobacco segment 34a and the oncoming or pursuing filter plug being forwarded by the pin 20. This gap will close by virtue of the natural springiness of tobacco hereinbefore mentioned. In the event of a relative difference in speed between the periphery of the transfer wheel and the moving paper web slipping between thepolished surface of the transfer wheel and the upper surface of the composite rod will allow the conveyor pins to gain on the end of the tobacco segment, it will be understood that the supplementary conveyor pin 21a is not withdrawn until after the leading end of the length 34a and the following end of a plug with which it is in direct abutment are deposited on the moving paper web. In the above manner complete abutment of filter plugs and tobacco lengths is effected to produce a continuous composite rod deposited as shown on the moving paper web 39.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing filter-tip cigarettes which comprises a source of supply of a continuous rope of shredded tobacco, a cylindrical member for receiving said rope and conveying it around an arcuate path for approximately 180, a knife carried by said cylindrical member for severing said rope into sections as it travels around said arcuate path, a transfer wheel for receiving said severed sections of tobacco, means for driving said knife carrying member at a faster rate than said transfer wheel to compress the severed sections of tobacco as it is carried around by said transfer wheel, retractable means carried by said transfer wheel for irnpaling the filler on said transfer wheel at a position adjacent the rear portion thereof to maintain a major portion thereof under compression while traveling with the transfer wheel, means for delivering a plug behind the pusher knives of the first member following the delivery of the tail end of the severed section of tobacco, a paper tape driven at substantially the same rate of speed as the transfer wheel for receiving said plugs and severed sections of tobacco, means for removing said retractable means when the compressed sections of tobacco are discharged onto the paper tape to allow the compressed sections of tobacco to expand to bring the plug and preceding severed section of tobacco into close continuous relationship.

2. Apparatus for making filter tip cigarettes comprising a source of supply of a continuous cigarette rod filler, a rotating wheel having a groove for receiving said rod, knives mounted on said wheel for severing said rod into sections as it travels around with said wheel, a guard surrounding the portion of said wheel carrying said cigarette rod material for maintaining said cigarette rod material in the groove of said wheel, a second wheel for receiving said severed sections of cigarette rod for transfer onto a traveling paper web, means for rotating said first wheel at a faster rate than the cigarette rod so as to form a gap between each section of cigarette rod, means for feeding a filter tipinto each gap as the tail endJof each section of cigarette rod is transferred to the second wheel, means for rotating said second wheel at arate slower than the first wheel so as to cause the tobacco filler to be compressed as it is pushed onto the second wheel by the first wheel, a conveyor for moving said traveling paper web at substantially the same rate of speed as the second wheel, a pin mounted on said second wheel for engaging a section of tobacco rod on said second wheel at a position adjacent the rear portion thereof to hold a major portion of said section in compressed condition until the following filter plug and section of cigarette rod is closely adjacent to the preceding compressed section of cigarette rod and'means for withdrawing said pin from said ciga-' rette rod when itis deposited upon the paper tape to allow said compressed tobacco to expand to fill in the gap between the filler and the filler plug.

' 3. Apparatus for making filter tip cigarettes comprising a'source of supply of continuous cigarette rod material, a

' source of supply of individual filter plugs, a first transfer wheel for receiving said continuous cigarette rod material, knives carried by said first transfer wheel for severing said cigarette rod into sections while being conveyed on said transfer wheel, means for moving said severed sections of rod away from said continuous rod at a faster rate of speed than that which the rod travels, a second transfer wheel, means for driving said second transfer wheel at a slower rate than the first transfer wheel to cause the severed sections of rod to be compressed on the second transfer wheel by the cutting knives of the first transfer wheel as the rod sections are delivered to the second transfer wheel, means engaging said filler on said transfer wheel at a position adjacent the rear portion thereof for maintaining a major portion of said severed section of the rod under compression on the second transfer wheel until a filter plug and succeeding severed section of rod is brought closely adjacent thereto, a paper conveyor tape driven at substantially the same rate of speed as said second transfer wheel, means for removing said compression maintaining means out of contact with said compressed tobacco rod to allow said compressed rod to expand into contiguous relation with the succeeding plug when the plug and rod are discharged onto said paper conveyor tape.

4. Apparatus for making filter-tip cigarettes comprising, a source of supply of continuous cigarette rod material, a source of supply of individual filter plugs, a first transfer wheel for receiving said continuous cigarette rod material, knives carried by said first transfer wheel for severing said cigarette rod into cigarette lengths while being conveyed on said transfer wheel, means for moving said severed sections of rod away from said continuous rod at a faster rate of speed than that which the rod travels, a second transfer wheel, means for driving said second transfer wheel at a slower rate than the first transfer wheel to cause the severed sections of rod to be compressed on the second transfer wheel by the cutting knives of the first transfer wheel as the rod is delivered to the second transfer wheel, means engaging each severed section of rod intermediate the ends thereof to maintain each severed section in compressed condition on the second transfer wheel until a filter plug and succeeding severed section of rod is brought closely adjacent thereto, means for removing said compressing means out of contact with said compressed, tobacco rod to allow said compressed rod to expand into contiguous relation with the succeeding plug when the plug and rod are discharged onto a paper conveyor tape, and means for driving said paper tape at a speed substantially the same as that of the second transfer wheel.

5. Apparatus for making filter-plug cigarettes comprising a source of supply of continuous cigarette rod filler, a rotating wheel having a groove for receiving said rod, knives mounted on said wheel for severing said rod into sections as it travels around with said wheel, a convex guard surrounding the portion of said wheel carrying said cigarette rod material for maintaining said cigarette rod material in the groove of said wheel, a transfer wheel for receiving said severed sections of cigarette rod for transfer onto a traveling paper web, means for rotating said first wheel at a faster rate than the cigarette rod is fed thereto so as to form a gap between each severed section of cigarette rod, filler engaging members mounted on said transfer wheel for engaging said severed sections of rod intermediate the ends thereof to positively convey said sections around with said transfer wheel, means for feeding a filter plug into each gap as the tail end of each section of cigarette rod is transferred to the transfer wheel, means for causing said filter plugs and sections of cigarette rod to positively abut each other as they travel around with the transfer wheel to enable the transfer wheel to deposit the composite rod comprising alternate lengths of tobacco and filter plugs in positive longitudinal abutment onto the traveling paper web, and means for driving the transfer wheel at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the speed of saidpaper web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Davidson Jan. 1, 1939 8 Allison Sept. 7, Molins July 17, Davidson Sept. 3, Edwards Ian. 5, Edwards May 30, Rundell Apr. 1,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 6, 

